Monday, October 31, 2011

Another busy month for this out gay man, seeking to be all about embodying God’s justice and compassion in the Church and the world!

I turned 46 this October. Imagine that! I didn't host a party this year as in previous years (see, for example,hereandhere) but various groups of friends and colleagues orchestrated little celebrations for me. How lucky am I?

Above:My good friend Angie and her husband Bryan – Thursday, October 28, 2011.

Angie's dad Myron passed away earlier in the month and on October 27 I traveled to Montevideo, MN, for his funeral. As sad as the occasion was, I appreciated and enjoyed reconnecting with Angie and her family.

Above:Raising a toast to Myron!

Above:AJack-o'-lanternon the front porch of my friend Phil's house. For some thoughts of mine on Halloween, clickhere.

Nationally renowned African American lesbian activist, scholar and public theologian Irene Monroe has an insightfularticlepublished today at The Huffington Post, one that examines Halloween as "America's gay holiday." Following are excerpts. (Oh, and for my own thoughts on Halloween, clickhere!)

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In the words of the lesbian poet and scholar Judy Grahn, Halloween is "the great gay holiday."

And this weekend of lavish costumed theatricality will attract everyone, but especially lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) revelers.

Back in the day Halloween, the night before All Hallows Day (All Saints Day), was linked to the ancient Celtic festival Samhain in the British Isles, meaning "summer's end." And because the celebration is associated with mystery, magic, superstition, witches and ghosts, the festivity, not surprisingly, was limited in colonial New England because of its Puritanical belief system.

But today it's an LGBTQ extravaganza that rivals – if not out-showcases – Pride festivals.

Long before June officially became Gay Pride Month and October became Coming Out Month for the LGBTQ community, Halloween was unofficially our yearly celebrated "holiday," dating as far back as the 1970s, when it was a massive annual street party in San Francisco's Castro district.

By the 1980s, gay enclaves like Key West, West Hollywood, and Greenwich Village were holding their annual Halloween street parties. And the parades the night of Halloween did and still do draw straights and gay spectators out to watch.

Gay cultural influence on Halloween has become such an unstoppable phenomenon here and abroad that anthropologist Jerry Kugelmass of University of Florida published a book in 1994 on the new trend, titledMasked Culture, describing Halloween as an emerging gay "high holiday."

"The 'masked culture' first developed by the gays of San Francisco has reached across the lines of orientation – and now jumped across the boundaries between nations and languages. It's not just a party. It's an ideal of personal emancipation, self-expression and self-fulfillment – an ideal that loses none of its power when it takes the form of a sexy nurse's outfit," CNN contributor David Frum wrote last year in "Halloween Craze Started in Gay Culture."

Nicholas Rogers, author ofHalloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night, points out that while Halloween is enjoyed by everyone, "it has been the Gay community that has most flamboyantly exploited Halloween's potential as a transgressive festival, as one that operates outside or on the margins of orthodox time, space, and hierarchy. Indeed, it is the Gay community that has been arguably most responsible for Halloween's adult rejuvenation."

Halloween allows many LGBTQ Americans at least one night annually, October 31, of safely being out and "unmasked" while remaining closeted. The community revels the entire night like there is no tomorrow, and for many there isn't. Like its pagan roots, Halloween provided an outlet for us cross-dressing and gender-bending LGBTQ outsiders who are ostracized by mainstream society. . . .

The columnist's clarion call for vigilance against "intimidation" by supporters of same-sex marriage in Minnesota is utterly baseless.

Kersten rests her admonition primarily on a few aberrational incidents in California during its legal struggle over the same-sex marriage issue. But there is no reported instance of any similar, or remotely comparable, episode in Minnesota. In fact, the type of persecution she laments has occurred, but not by same-sex marriage advocates. Rather, that type of aggression has been directed against gays and lesbians,especially in schools. Kersten should target her concerns at that type of anti-social misconduct.

This modern-day Cassandra need not worry about loutish behavior by same-sex marriage backers. Her concerns are about as prescient as fearing an insufficient supply of suntan lotion in Minnesota this winter.

Sunday, October 30, 2011

A definite highlight of October was the visit to the Twin Cities of my good friend Raph.

As I’ve mentioned previously, I first got to know the Raph and his family inGoulburn, N.S.W., where Raph's father was the principal of the primary school at which Itaughtfrom 1988-1993. Before relocating to the U.S. in 1994, I taught two of family's children – Jeremiah (in 1989) and Tess (in 1992).

Back in 2004, Raph came and stayed with me in the Twin Cities for four months. It was a great time. We visited Minnesota’sNorth Shore; took a train trip to Washington, D.C; and flew out to San Francisco.

Raph most recent visit to the States saw him spend about two months cycling theTrans-America Trailwith two friends. Then, after spending time with relatives in Tennessee, he journeyed to Minnesota for a week-long visit.

Above:Raph, amidst the colors of a Minnesota autumn!

Left:Raph snapped this photo of me as I was preparing for the "Welcome Back to Minnesota" soiree I hosted for him on the evening of October 12, 2011. It was a great night, as the following images attest!

On the afternoon of Thursday, October 13, Raph and I took a road trip toRed Wing, MN. We traveled to this picturesque river town viaPrescott, WI (right), and scenic Highway 35, which runs south along the Mississippi River through rural areas all the way to La Crosse. Before then, however, it provides access to Red Wing, MN, via US 63.

Above:Well, hello! . . . Raph in Prescott, WI – October 13, 2011.

Left:The Hit and Run Bar in Prescott, an establishment I highly recommend as a place to stop in for lunch!

Above:"It remains a mystery"! . . . Wisconsin's "Bow and Arrow," which can be seen in the distance at the top left of this photo.

Of course, Raph's recent visit proved to be a "very special time" too. Not surprising, really, given that he's one of the most thoughtful, inspiring, fun and generous people I'm honored to have in my life! Thanks, Raphie! And see you sometime soon, I hope, back in Australia!

To mark All Hallows Eve (October 31), All Saints Day (November 1) and All Souls Day (November 2) I share the following reflection by Ed Hays, shared this morning as part of the liturgy atSpirit of St. Stephen’s Catholic Community.

Death is the greatest terrorist. So feared an enemy is death that we avoid thinking about it, unless forced to do so as when attending a funeral. We even find the word “death” unspeakable, and so replace “died” with “passed.” In prayer, we refer to the dead as the “deceased” or “departed.”

When someone dies in parts of Africa they don’t say they “have passed” or “departed,” but rather that they “have arrived!” This beautiful expression is saturated with the belief that their beloved dead have finally arrived at the destination toward which they have been traveling all their lives.

Upon hearing of someone’s death, our Muslim brothers and sisters say, “We have come from God, and we return to God, and we are on this journey each day of our lives.” Regardless of our age or health, you and I are at this very moment on a journey back to God, and none of us knows if today is the day of our arrival.

As you pass one milestone after another, live your homeward journey wisely and passionately praying words like these every day: Inspired, I squeeze the last drop of joy out of each day, not because I’ll die, but because You have made life’s joys appetizers of the delight of arriving.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

It's a hopeful sign that [the Vatican's recent] Council for Justice and Peace [statement] "Reform of the International Financial System with a View Toward a General Public Authority" is getting a good amount of press. The Vatican has again added its voice to those calling (some from the streets) for a return of ethics and political oversight to the titanic power of financial institutions that have grown beyond political control after decades of deregulation and technological innovation. And yes, the Vatican does stand with the "basic sentiment" of the protesters on Wall Street and around the world.

. . . The central point of this document – the need for a global governmental structure – is nothing new. It has been taught by every pope since John XXIII. . . . The document raises fundamental moral questions – well within the proper purview of magisterial teaching. It challenges the reduction of human existence to a narrow economic logic as our current global economic order has done. It warns that such an approach banishes the moral and spiritual, ignoring "anything that cannot be explained in terms of matter alone."

The document advances Benedict's call for reform of international governmental and financial organizations "so that the concept of the family of nations can acquire real teeth." While the Vatican doesn't do revolution, the demands are revolutionary . . . and as old as the Hebrew prophets. Any just order must attend to the needs of the poor. Any just system of global governance must give the weakest a meaningful seat at the table. It does espouse a revolutionary courage that weds a call for creative thinking with Mary's Magnificat: "We should not be afraid to propose new ideas, even if they may destabilize pre-existing balances of power that prevail over the weakest." . . .

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

When it comes to the morality of homosexuality and contraception . . . women are slightly more likely than men to say that individuals themselves should have the final say about what is right and what is wrong. Upward of six in 10 women (61 percent) say that individuals know best about the morality of homosexuality, compared with 53 percent of men. And fully seven in 10 women say individuals themselves are the best judges of the morality of contraception, compared with 63 percent of men.

. . . On most of the issues we asked about, majorities of Catholics surveyed say that the locus of moral authority resides with individuals, who should decide for themselves after taking church teachings into account. One in five Catholics or fewer says that church leaders such as the pope and bishops are the proper arbiters of right and wrong in these areas. Between one-fifth and one-third of Catholics say that moral authority is best exercised by individuals and church leaders working together.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Some very thoughtful comments have been shared on thewebsiteof the Archdiocese of New York in response to Ed Mechmann's op-ed, "We Are Now Enemies of the State." The "we," in Mechmann's view, are the "defenders" of so-called traditional marriage, and the person who has supposedly labelled these folks "enemies of the state" is none other than New York GovernorAndrew Cuomo(pictured at right).

Here's what the pro-marriage equality, Catholic Cuomo actually said, when, at a recent gay rights event, he was asked if he found any of the anti-marriage equality arguments persuasive:

There is no answer from the opposition. There really isn’t. Ultimately, it’s, ‘I want to discriminate.’ And that’s anti-New York. It’s anti-American.

Of course, not everyone agrees with Mechmann's take on Cuomo's remarks, as the following comments attest.

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Christian Francis Cooper writes:Governor Cuomo’s remarks are being misinterpreted, I fear, deliberately by some. The governor did not say holding “traditional” views on marriage is anti-American; he said that trying to force those views on others is anti-American . . . and he’s correct. (Note that the new [marriage equality] law neither forces anyone to enter into a same-sex marriage, nor denies anyone the right to marry someone of the opposite sex. Opponents of same-sex marriage, by comparison, want to deny others they disagree with the right to marry.) So those with “traditional” views are still free to live their lives as they see fit. The only difference now is [that] those who believe in same-sex marriage are free to do the same.

Gregory writes: When you stop using scare quotes around terms such as “gay marriage” and “gay rights,” I may start taking your hysterical arguments a bit more seriously. Your denigration of the lives and truths of your fellow citizens is indeed anti-American. Pity you can’t see that. The fact that you would suggest that the governor is simply a “thug” . . . proves that you are indeed “pernicious” and certainly as irresponsible in your language as you accuse the governor of being.

Continuum writes:I am not understanding the victimhood of religious organizations when it comes to same sex marriage. Aren’t all religions protected from marrying two people of the opposite sex? Just like two Jewish people can’t walk into a Catholic church and expect to get married? If that is the case, then it does become anti-American because people and organizations want to force their religious views on a secular government or other religious institutions who wish to marry people of the same sex. So, which religious views are the “right” one to guide our country? I feel like the constant push by the Catholic [hierarchy] to end same sex marriage when they are protected is only going to make some members of the church seek out another faith. I have seen it happen already in my own family.

Jonesy writes:Religious freedom applies to all Americans, not just those with conservative religious beliefs. What about people who’s religious beliefs are open and welcoming of gay marriage? In my experience NOBODY who supports LGBT equality, not the governor or anyone else, considers it objectionable in any way for you to hold “a different belief or opinion.” This is a critical distinction, please try to understand: it is NOT your religious beliefs that are discriminatory, it is attempts to require OTHERS, by force of law, to abide by YOUR religious beliefs.

Stephen writes:Now you can know a little of how it feels to be gay and have the whole weight of the Catholic church vilifying and slandering you.The difference is that this so-called persecution by the governor is entirely imaginary. The very real persecution of gay people by the Catholic church, however, is a blight that affects our lives every day.

Robert Donohue writes: The Catholic church has sought to deny LGBT citizens the protections of fair housing and employment laws. The church also wants to deny us the rights and protections of civil, non-religious marriage. A certain pope has said, in effect, that anti-LGBT violence is just human nature taking its course. And yet the church feels it’s the aggrieved party?

John writes: At its core, this issue is a civil issue. It is not a religious issue. Churches are protected from having to perform sacramental rites that defy the tenets of their beliefs — but that same protection is not extended to the government. Equality under the law is the rule of the land. I am an active practicing Catholic, and agree with [Ed Mechmann] on many issues, but on this point, there is no equivocation. The battle for “marriage equality” is over and the Church has lost.

American Catholics have by and large remained loyal to the core teachings and sacraments of their faith, but increasingly tune out the hierarchy on issues of sexual morality, according to a new study released Monday (Oct. 24).

The sweeping survey shows that over the last quarter-century, U.S. Catholics have become increasingly likely to say that individuals, not church leaders, have the final say on abortion, homosexuality, and divorce and remarriage.

That trend holds true across generational and ideological divides, and even applies to weekly Mass attenders, according to the survey, which has been conducted every six years since 1987.

. . . Catholic loyalty and identity remain remarkably strong, even as 83 percent of Catholics say the clergy sexual abuse scandal has hurt the bishops’ moral and political credibility.

. . . Across the board, Catholics tend to agree on four key markers—the resurrection of Jesus (73 percent), helping the poor (67 percent), devotion to the Virgin Mary (64 percent), and the centrality of the sacraments (63 percent)—as core to their Catholicism.

Opposition to abortion (40 percent) and to same-sex marriage (35 percent), and the authority of the Vatican (30 percent) and support for a celibate, all-male clergy (21 percent) were further down the list.

The issue of homosexuality showed one of the largest gaps between the pulpit and the pews. The portion of Catholics who say church leaders have “the final say” on homosexuality has plunged by half, from 32 percent to 16 percent, over the past 25 years, while those who say individuals make the final call has shot up from 39 percent to 57 percent.

Monday, October 24, 2011

The following open letter to John C. Nienstedt, the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. Paul-Minneapolis, was published in today's online edition of the Star Tribune. It's written by Kevin Winge, the executive director of Open Arms of Minnesota. To read responses to this letter from Star Tribune readers, clickhere.

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Dear Archbishop Nienstedt:

I do believe, that you believe, it is your responsibility as the Archbishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, to help ensure that the amendment to change our state’s Constitution to ban gay marriage is passed by voters in next year’s election. I also believe that it is critically important that we speak truth to power. You, sir, have a tremendous amount of power. And on this issue, Archbishop Nienstedt, you are wrong.

You are spearheading a statewide effort to get parish priests to organize efforts in their communities to get out the vote to change our Constitution. If you are successful, this change will harm individuals. It will harm families. It will harm our state.

I’m not a member of the clergy and I’m not a theologian, but I know you’re wrong because I know what’s in my heart; and what is in my heart is love.

I love my partner. I could no more change who I love than I could change the color of my skin. Like my straight friends, my gay and lesbian friends love their partners, too. And those who have children, love their children. None of us are a threat to the institution of marriage. How can loving people who want to be married do anything but enhance an institution like marriage?

Archbishop Nienstedt, your efforts will not only divide congregations, it will divide communities and families. You are driving a wedge between people and those divisions will not be forgotten with the passing of the election in November of 2012. You say this is about preserving the sanctity of marriage, but it’s not. It is about intentionally harming a group of people that wants nothing more than to have their loving relationships acknowledged and respected.

Humans want to love and be loved, but few of us are in positions of power that can actually lead us to become more loving people. Archbishop Nienstedt, you are one of those people. Please stop the divisive and hurtful actions you are taking regarding the amendment to ban same-sex marriage. Please use your position to help us all become a more tolerant and loving community.

Kevin Winge is a native of Minnesota. He has lived in New York, Boston, and Cape Town, South Africa. He is the executive director of Open Arms of Minnesota, a non-profit organization that provides nutritious meals to people living with diseases.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

. . . The right has tried everything to turn the tide of public opinion against Occupy Wall Street. They have claimed that the protests are filled withcrime and drugs. They have labeled the movementanti-Semitic, and the people involved in it lazy, dirty, hippies. Despite their daily attacks this movement has continued to grow.

. . . Occupy Wall Street continues to be successful because it isn’t a movement of people, it is the people. The right does think that this is the 1960s all over again, and they can get those middle aged white suburban Americans to rally against the youth, but the Occupy Wall Street movement isn’t divided by age. This isn’t old versus young, or white versus black. The Occupy movement is something different.

The economic devastation caused by the corrupt behavior of Wall Street impacted Americans across age, race, and geographic lines. The only people who profited from the great economic collapse of 2008 are those who caused it. The rich have gotten richer, and they have seized control of our political system in order to not only maintain their status, but also to take away resources from those beneath them.

What really pushed the 99% over the edge wasn’t that rich have gotten richer, but that the one percent has turned capitalism into a weapon to be used against everyone beneath them.

The right keeps assuming that there is some sort of large natural constituency out there waiting to be mobilized against these protests. They dream of finding the magic words that will stop the protesters and protect their beloved one percent, but there aren’t any magic words. There isn’t a talking point out there that can derail Occupy Wall Street.

I established The Wild Reed in 2006 as a sign of solidarity with all who are dedicated to living lives of integrity – though, in particular, with gay people seeking to be true to both the gift of their sexuality and their Catholic faith. The Wild Reed's original by-line read, "Thoughts and reflections from a progressive, gay, Catholic perspective." As you can see, it reads differently now. This is because my journey has, in many ways, taken me beyond, or perhaps better still, deeper into the realities that the words "progressive," "gay," and "Catholic" seek to describe.

Even though reeds can symbolize frailty, they may also represent the strength found in flexibility. Popular wisdom says that the green reed which bends in the wind is stronger than the mighty oak which breaks in a storm. Tall green reeds are associated with water, fertility, abundance, wealth, and rebirth. The sound of a reed pipe is often considered the voice of a soul pining for God or a lost love.

On September 24, 2012,Michael BaylyofCatholics for Marriage Equality MNwas interviewed by Suzanne Linton of Our World Today about same-sex relationships and why Catholics can vote 'no' on the proposed Minnesota anti-marriage equality amendment.

Readers write . . .

"I believe your blog to be of utmost importance for all people regardless of their orientation. . . . Thank you for your blog and the care and dedication that you give in bringing the TRUTH to everyone."– William

"Michael, if there is ever a moment in your day or in your life when you feel low and despondent and wonder whether what you are doing is anything worthwhile, think of this: thanks to your writing on the internet, a young man miles away is now willing to embrace life completely and use his talents and passions unashamedly to celebrate God and his creation. Any success I face in the future and any lives I touch would have been made possible thanks to you and your honesty and wisdom."– AB

"Since I discovered your blog I have felt so much more encouraged and inspired knowing that I'm not the only gay guy in the Catholic Church trying to balance my Faith and my sexuality. Continue being a beacon of hope and a guide to the future within our Church!"– Phillip

"Your posts about Catholic issues are always informative and well researched, and I especially appreciate your photography and the personal posts about your own experience. I'm very glad I found your blog and that I've had the chance to get to know you."– Crystal

"Thank you for taking the time to create this fantastic blog. It is so inspiring!"– George

"I cannot claim to be an expert on Catholic blogs, but from what I've seen, The Wild Reed ranks among the very best."– Kevin

"Reading your blog leaves me with the consolation of knowing that the words Catholic, gay and progressive are not mutually exclusive.."– Patrick

"I grieve for the Roman institution’s betrayal of God’s invitation to change. I fear that somewhere in the midst of this denial is a great sin that rests on the shoulders of those who lead and those who passively follow. But knowing that there are voices, voices of the prophets out there gives me hope. Please keep up the good work."– Peter

"I ran across your blog the other day looking for something else. I stopped to look at it and then bookmarked it because you have written some excellent articles that I want to read. I find your writing to be insightful and interesting and I'm looking forward to reading more of it. Keep up the good work. We really, really need sane people with a voice these days."– Jane Gael